Thursday, 9 August 2012

The main news for the past 18 hours has centered around the future of our want away striker Robin van P€r$i€.

The Manchester Evening News reported that Manchester United were closing in on agreeing a fee with Arsenal for van P€r$i€'s signature and the Dutchman could be heading to Old Trafford before the week was out.

van P€r$i€ was still in Germany last night at the Gunners pre-season training camp. No agreement is yet to be reached by the two clubs. Red nose said in a press conference last night he did not know which way the deal would go.

At this point in time it's clear to me that no one knows exactly what will happen over van P€r$i€'s future. But I'm pretty sure from Arsenal's point of view that should any of the three clubs chasing him reach the asking price Arsenal have set, he'll be sold.

van P€r$i€'s preference is to sign for Manchester United. He appears not to want to join their neighbours because he doesn't want us all to think it's about the money. But if he goes to United it sends out a huge message.

No Arsene Wenger player has ever been transfered between the two clubs. Arsenal do not sell their best players to Ferguson. But that's where van P€r$i€ wants to go because it will reinforce the message in his statement that Arsenal don't have any ambition.

If van P€r$i€ goes to Manchester United - even if we sell him to them - he'd be worse than Emmanuel Adebayor in my eyes. He's be despised by every Arsenal fan and that's not going much further than how a lot of people feel about him now after his disgusting statement.

The club have stuck by him through thick and thin and this is how he repays them? By wanting to sign for Wenger's most hated rivals? There is no love lost between the two clubs but this would be a new low with our relationship with them.

We're going to be challenging for silverware this season with the squad which Arsene Wenger has assembled over the last 14 months. Selling van P€r$i€ to Ferguson would be unpalatable to a lot of Gooners. They'd rather lose the Dutchman for nothing next summer than sell him there.

How Arsenal sell any deal which involved van P€r$i€ signing for Ferguson is a hard one. Even making them pay over the odds for him still won't go down well. It weakens us and strengthens a direct rival.

But the truth is if Manchester United come up with the cash, Arsenal will sell. We don't have the business model where we are able to lose a player worth £20m plus for free.

It's a long running saga. And I'm sure we all want it to end. But Arsenal have to play the transfer game to their advantage. And if that means holding out for the right fee, then so be it.